Smoking cigarettes causes problems with my appearance, my health, my endurance, and my family.

Essay by ginisueCollege, UndergraduateA+, October 2003

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Cigarettes have been a part of my life for twelve years. This nasty, stinky, and disruptive habit has contributed to many problems in my life. Not only am I hurting myself, but my family suffers because of my addiction. Smoking cigarettes causes problems with my appearance, my health, my endurance, and my family.

First, I am ruining my hair, nails, and teeth. After years of smoking, I admit that the odor from a cigarette stinks. The smell from cigarettes clings to my clothes and hair. Also, my fingers smell like stale smoke. I bathe in perfume to try to hide the smell. Waterless anti-bacterial hand wash helps to mask the smell on my hands. My fingernails are slightly discolored. I try to hide this embarrassment with fingernail polish. I deal with my smelly breath by mixing baking soda with my toothpaste twice a day to help control the stains on my teeth.

It's a constant battle covering the smells and stains left behind by cigarettes.

Second, I have developed a disgusting, phlegmy cough, better known as the smoker's cugh. In the morning, my husband tells me that it sounds as if I'm coughing up my lungs. It certainly feels that way. I have also realized that cigarettes cause me to snore loudly and keep my husband awake at night. For years I thought he was exaggerating, but he proved to me that I do snore by filming me with our new Sony camcorder. I felt shocked, embarrassed, and ashamed.

Also, I don't have the endurance of a healthy non-smoker. My breathing keeps me from doing a lot of physical activvities. I tire quickly when I try to ride a bicycle with my kids. If I try to jump on a trampoline, my lungs feel like a heavy weight on...